Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr will be looking to utilize his legs more as he enters his sixth season in the NFL.
Coming off a solid statistical season in 2018, one that saw him throw for over 4,000 yards for the first time in his career, Derek Carr is looking to take his game to the next level this season. Blessed with a strong arm, and tremendous determination, Carr is the kind of quarterback that teammates rally around, and he has a strong cast of weapons around him in 2019.
Even without Antonio Brown on the field as the Oakland Raiders opened up their 2019 training camp, Carr was seen taking numerous shots downfield to guys like Tyrell Williams, and Rico Gafford. That is good news for Raiders fans, who would like Carr to utilize his deep ball more this season, as he is one of the more accurate quarterbacks in the NFL when he throws downfield.
Of course, that can only happen if Carr actually gets some protection this season, something he did not receive in 2018. The Raiders have done a nice job building up the offensive line this offseason, bringing in Trent Brown at right tackle, and that should lead to Carr having more time in the pocket.
In addition to taking shots downfield, Carr also spoke to the media on Saturday bout using his legs more, something head coach Jon Gruden would also like him to do. Carr definitely has the ability to extend plays with his legs, and while he is no Lamar Jackson, it is not like he is Philip Rivers either.
Carr is actually a pretty athletic quarterback, and we have seen him make plays with his legs in the past in some big situations. This is a team that is going to look very different on offense in 2019, and if Carr can utilize his legs, as well as his strong arm, he will bring another dimension that will give defenses fits.